The embodiments described herein relate generally to fluid measurement and fluid sampling devices, and more particularly, to apparatus for use in measuring emissions in exhaust stacks.
At least some known production facilities include equipment and processes that may generate monitored and regulated emissions constituents, for example, nitrogen oxides (NOx) and carbon monoxide (CO). At least some known production facilities include electric power generation plants, food processing plants, and waste elimination plants. For example, in some known electric power generation plants, fossil fuels are combusted, thereby generating hot combustion gases that are channeled to a turbo-generator. At least some of the thermal energy contained in the hot combustion gases is converted to rotational energy within the turbo-generator. An exhaust fluid stream that includes the thermally-expended combustion gases that include the monitored and regulated constituents is channeled from the turbo-generator to an exhaust stack prior to being exhausted to atmosphere. Such an exhaust fluid stream may include emissions that are monitored.
Emissions monitoring apparatus is typically used to sample the exhaust fluid and measure the regulated constituents channeled therein. Such apparatus may include permanently installed equipment proximate to an exhaust stack or duct for long-term monitoring and/or may include temporarily installed equipment proximate to the exhaust stack or duct for short-term testing. At least some known emissions monitoring and testing apparatus includes a probe that is extended into the exhaust fluid stream to measure exhaust emissions parameters, such as stream velocity profiles and constituent concentrations within the stream. These known monitoring and testing apparatus extract samples of the exhaust fluid stream. Testing and monitoring activities often include sampling at multiple points along a cross-section of the stack or duct. Therefore, some known emissions monitoring apparatus include extendible devices that penetrate the stack or duct via extension and retraction as needed. Many known extendible devices have length dimensions that enable measurements of the exhaust fluid stream, however, such probes have a large physical footprint in the vicinity of the stack or duct. Moreover, some known emissions monitoring apparatus include fixed and/or non-extendible devices that require manual extension, retraction, and other positioning as needed. Emissions testing typically requires reduced production during such testing activities. Therefore, using manual emissions measuring and sampling apparatus extends a period of time required for sampling and testing activities at lower production levels, thereby reducing revenue-based production and/or increasing production costs.